The Interdistrict Criminal Court of Astana has sentenced bloggers Yerbolat Zhanabylov and his wife Elmira Tolegenova. They were charged under Article 214, Part 2, Paragraph 2 and Article 218, Part 2, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan — illegal entrepreneurship and legalization of criminally obtained income.
During the hearing, the judge stated: 'Zhanabylov is sentenced to two years of imprisonment with confiscation of property. In accordance with Article 63, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, the sentence is considered suspended with probation supervision for the entire term. Elmira Tolegenova is sentenced to two years of imprisonment in a minimum-security facility with a two-year deferment of execution.'
Earlier, the prosecutor called the case a 'precedent' and requested four years of imprisonment with confiscation of property for both defendants. However, the court, after considering the arguments of the parties, imposed a more lenient sentence.
